The United States opens its New Year with a friendly against the People’s Republic of China at the Network Associates Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Saturday, Jan. 27, 2001, at 2:30 p.m. PT. The match will be televised live on ESPN2. China and the United States last met almost four years ago in China when the USA traveled to Asia for a pair of games in January and February 1997. The Americans lost one game, 1-2, and tied another, 1-1. The United States has won three of the six all-time meetings between the two, earning two ties and losing once in a series that played its first game in 1977. Led by former U.S. coach Bora Milutinovic, China finished fourth in the 2000 Asian Cup after falling to eventual champion Japan in the semifinals, and is ranked 71st in the most recent FIFA standings. The Chinese squad should include 27-year-old captain Zhang Enhua, who recently joined English First Division club Grimsby Town, and central midfield leader Li Tie. Milutinovic coached the United States to a 30-34-31 record from 1991 to 1995, earning more coaching wins than any other American coach. Milutinovic guided the United States through its 1994 World Cup run. For the United States, the match marks the return to Oakland for the first time since a 2-1 victory over Costa Rica on Feb. 7, 1998. The USA is undefeated in two games played at the Coliseum, having also defeated Cuba at the venue on Feb. 1, 1998. The match will serve as Coach Bruce Arena’s first chance to look at his team in 2001 before the first World Cup 2002 qualifying match in CONCACAF’s final round, against Mexico in Columbus, Ohio, on Feb. 28. The U.S. squad will begin almost two months of training and friendly matches in early January, leading up to the crucial qualifying opener. Arena will gather a number of players at the ARCO Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, Calif., beginning Jan. 5, 2001. The team is expected to arrive in the Oakland area and begin training for the Saturday match on Monday, January 22. Tickets for the USA’s match against China will go on sale at 10 a.m. PT on Friday, Dec. 15 and will cost $20-$50. They can be purchased at all Bass Ticket Outlets, via the web at tickets.com, or by calling 510-762-2250. Group tickets for the match can be purchased by calling 619-460-7612.